After making waves on Peacock with We Are Lady Parts, writer and director Nida Manzoor hit the big screen at Sundance Film Festival with her feature film debut Polite Society. Part comedy and part martial arts adventure, Manzoor's first film perfectly blends the glorious bonds of sisterhood with this humorous hijinx of a would-be action-hero protagonist. She even brought some of her Lady Parts cast along for the ride, although the breakout star of the film is impressive newcomer Priya Kansara.

Kansara plays Ria Khan, a Pakistani British teenager with high hopes of becoming a stuntwoman like her idol Eunice Huthart. Though her parents hardly take her seriously, and school bullies mock her goals, her old sister Lena Lena (The Umbrella Academy’s Ritu Arya) is her solid support throughout. All of that changes, however, when Lena drops out of art school after a creative block and winds up engaged to Salim Shah (Akshay Khanna). Positive that the match is being pushed by Salim's mother for nefarious reasons, Ria decides to put her fighting skills to the rest and rescue her sister from her new situation at all costs.

Related: Polite Society Review: Manzoor's Feature Debut Is Exciting & Energetic [Sundance]

Screen Rant caught up with Polite Society star Ritu Arya and director Nida Manzoor while at Sundance Film Festival last week. The dynamic duo shared their enthusiasm for the project, the complexity of the sister's characters, and even hinted at the former's role in the upcoming Barbie film.

Star & Director on Polite Society at Sundance

Screen Rant: What was it that first spoke to you about Polite Society?

Ritu Arya: Firstly, I just wanted to work with Nida. I worked with her a couple of times, and I love her and her work. Then I read it and loved the script; I thought it was kind of crazy, and I loved that. I thought it was relatable and empowering and just really fun. It was going to be a really fun shoot.

As for my character, Lena, I was very drawn to her just from the get-go. We have some similarities, in that she's an older sister and I've got two brothers, one who's younger. She is an artist, and I like to think I am. She's in this sort of dark place at the beginning, and she goes on this journey of empowerment. She falls in love, and her sister's suspicious about this guy. There was just so much there that I was excited to play with, and to see what I could bring to lift off the page.

You're also going to be in Greta Gerwig's Barbie. How much fun was that?

Ritu Arya: So much fun. I'm a huge, huge Greta Gerwig fan. When she asked me to be in a movie, I was just like, "100%!" I loved working with her. It was a really, really lovely experience.

Screen Rant: I know you brought in some of the cast of We Are Lady Parts for Polite Society. How would you compare the projects?

Nida Manzoor: My love of comedy is kind of coming through in a similar way with Lady Parts. There's a sort of playfulness with genre, and I feel like I'm trying to do the same thing with Polite Society. But this time, I'm upping the ante; going bigger, going bolder, and just having more fun.

Polite Society has been in the works for a decade. What has this journey been like for you?

Nida Manzoor: It has been long and painful, but it's been one where I've been able to grow and [learn] how to write and direct and hone my skills. Ultimately, I feel so lucky to get to make the film now, at this level of experience.

I love the episodes you directed of Doctor Who. Any chance you'll be back for the 14th, or rather 15th, Doctor?

Nida Manzoor: I don't think I am. I had such a good time getting to write Jodi in my episodes, and I feel like I'm so lucky with those episodes and learned so much. I felt like Doctor Who showed me my passion for genre, so I feel very lucky to go to direct the two episodes that I did.

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Polite Society premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 20. The film is 103 minutes long and is not yet rated. It will be released nationwide on April 28.